Cameo chapter is here! Finally! Be prepared, before you start reading, go to the loo, get some chocolate, put the Phantom soundtrack on repeat and take the phone off the hook. This is a very long chapter, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I laughed myself stupid writing it. Also…I have writers block, so this is cut in half, I'm hoping your reviews will inspire me to continue!
Review replies
Masked Grace: Do the dishes! Or sweep! Works every time I need inspiration…I think its something to do with manual labour being so boring you daydream…anyway…please stop fainting, I wouldn't recommend it in the middle of a chapter, kinda ruins the whole point of reading it
IflyNAVY: Yes you can have him…but I want him returned with cloak INTACT! Other than that…indulge yourself, consider it a birthday present from me
Reltistic: Swat! Cape? No touchie!
Nightshadesister-01: I'm inclined to agree…can you imagine Erik in a room of phans and doing that thing from the Lynx Touch add? Hee hee
Pertie: If by beef you mean a plot? Uh…you may need to wait a while…if you mean the cameo, here it is!
Cap'n Meg: Stay out of my fluffy romatic stuff! This is my phantasy…mine! And I made up a new verse to the cloak song…ahem "We're cloakers and capers and really weird phans! Capes Cloaks! Coats Cloaks! An Addicts life for me!
BiP: Thankyou for that info…it may come in handy to calm my strange friends or my teachers if they find me writing this
Kooz: I know!
Blaze-Logan Lover: Yes and thankyou!
Harako-fushi: Hmm…so there is a use for males after all
Spunky-hyper-girl: Yup! My dream!
The mega-doomer: Thankyou! Yeah work work work! Stupid muse (Erik: Idiotic Authoress)
Domonique-vida: Tingles!
Taboos: I'm deeply honoured you think so, here, have a Phanotm gingerbreadman
MetalMyersJason: Same…its not fair
Mademoiselle Justica: Cameo has finally cameoed itself! (if that made any sense)
angel of mystery: Tahkyou!
Kissofdarkness: Tbaks!
Phantomsangel102: Tb\heenkyou!
Okay…no more chocolate for me! (Evil giggle)
Erik: Be afraid… she's way past sanity
Erik found the scrawl on a parchment left lying around in the main room, he looked at the words in confusion, what the hell was this? Some kind of parody of Don Juan Triumphant? He shook his head in irritation, it would be something of Adriana's doing, to be sure. He poled his way across the lake with every intention of finding her and spending a few minutes roaring her ears off. He wasn't that annoyed, but it would be fun to scare her. As he wandered up to the mirror, he pulled the parchment out of his pocket and looked at it absentmindedly. Yes, it was definitely to the tune of Don Juan, he cleared his throat experimentally and began to sing.
Past the point of no return
No going back now
Our games of silly clothes
Are at an end
Past all thought of pink or white
On with the blackness
So raise your voice in song and sing with me...
We pledge ourselves unto the night
The utter darkness of the cloak
The sweet seduction of the swirling cape
Let not strange looks take you away
From the rich drama of the cape
And swear yourselves
Unto...
The Night...
He looked up as he reached the mirror, expecting it to be clear and ready for him to step through. Instead it was a swirling mass of mist, which cleared until the faces of several unfamiliar girls, all dressed in black cloaks, stood staring at him in shock.
They blinked.
He blinked back.
Then one of the shorter ones at the back jostled one at the front and muttered, "What's going on up there?" Her nudge sent the first three girls through the mirror to land at Erik's feet, where they lay, covered by their black cloaks, emblazoned with glittery letters spelling DBCA around the collars. "Oh my God, we're in," one of them whispered, still staring at Erik with wide eyes, he glared down at her coldly.
"Who are you, mademoiselle, if I may be so bold as to ask?" at the sound of Erik's voice, the three girls scrambled up to gaze at him adoringly. The rest of the mob waiting on the other side of the mirror, saw who their friends were talking to, and with a rush of black dramatic cloaks, burst into the dark tunnel to find themselves face to mask with the Phantom. Erik hurriedly withdrew into the shadows.
"Oh. My. God." Another of them murmured, "It's really you"
"OH MY GOD!" they all shrieked together, still staring at him, they all looked at one another, then back at him, identical insane grins crossed their faces and as one, the DBCA gathered their cloaks up to throw themselves onto their caped idol. (Or one of them, anyway).
"What's going on?" a muffled voice called, and the mirror swung open, knocking several girls against one another until they all fell like dominoes. (Please take a moment to consider that mental image…hilarious, is it not?). Adriana stood in the mirrorway, looking around at the bodies below her in puzzlement. "Erik? Why are the members of the DBCA here?"
Hidden in the shadows, Erik shrugged, "I don't know, they all just came through the mirror."
"Hmm…" Adriana processed this, "Did they say anything?"
"'Oh my God' is about all," he replied. Unfortunately for him, Erik's shrug had sent the black fabric of his cloak moving and every DBCA-ian was on her feet in an instant, swirling their cloaks in desire.
"Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" they shouted as one and prepared to throw themselves on Erik (and more to the point, his cloak). Erik backed away fearfully, drawing his cape around him for protection, which didn't help matters.
"Enough!" a voice thundered from behind them, the girls all turned, startled, to see Adriana framed in the mirrorway, standing regally, surveying them with icy grey eyes, dressed in her black skirt and red jacket. All of the girls' heads bowed and they swept their cloaks back in a swirling salute.
"Your Majesty" they whispered, a silver crown appeared out of nowhere on Adriana's head, gleaming with black onyx as a long red trimmed cloak settled over her shoulders.
"Your Majesty?" Erik echoed, the girls all spun and looked at him adoringly, suddenly remembering their purpose, readied themselves for a charge, but Adriana, seeing the danger, quickly shouted.
"Hey, is that the fop?"
Instantly every DBCA-ians hands were filled with deadly looking instruments, ranging from bows and arrows to double handed maces and they looked around menacingly.
"Sorry girls, my mistake," Adriana calmed them, stepping down. "Disarm," the weapons went back into slightly less dangerous positions. "Fall back, line up, cloaks straight." All bar Erik hurriedly obeyed each order, and Adriana walked among them, admiring her subjects. "Now," she stopped in front of a brown haired girl of seventeen with an emerald green trimmed cloak, "Nightshadesister-01, report"
Nightshadesister-01 straightened and swished her velvet green-lined cloak, "All originals of the DBCA present and accounted for, your Majesty. However, no ideas as to how we were transported here."
"That makes two of us" she heard Erik mutter behind her.
One chocolate-trimmed girl stepped forward, "I have a question," she said, "How come we all appeared here in our cloaks, and with our weapons, but not with any clothes that represent our ranks?"
Adriana frowned, "Good point, Kooz" she mused, toying idly with her cape, then she grinned, "I think we could probably convince the Authoress to help us."
Not a problem the green and silver writing scrawled itself across the air.
"She's being nice today," Erik muttered to Adriana, "She was bloody awful when you became the Theatre Wraith."
I heard that, Erik the writing became a bit more menacing.
"I've no doubt you did," The Phantom replied glibly, "You wrote it after all."
Oh shut up, the scrawl continued good-naturedly, I'm in a good mood today, I get to play with costumes and write an extremely descriptive scene. The writing seemed to chuckle darkly. You may as well get comfortable, Monsieur Le Fantome, Your about to get treated to a fashion show…
"Oh God," Erik muttered, leaning against the walls.
Adriana?"Yes?"
Clap your hands twice, if you will, my dear
"Certainly, do I get a costume too?"
You're already in vintage clothes
"Oh come on!" the silver green script giggled in mid air
You didn't really think I'd deprive you did I?"Oh goodie" Adriana raised her arms dramatically and clapped them firmly over her blonde hair. A soundless Boom echoed through the caverns and every DBCA member found herself garbed in the clothing of her station. There were pirates, emissaries, princesses, damsels in distress clutching white lacy handkerchiefs, knights in armour and mages holding long staffs and robed in dramatic mantles of rich plush colours. But each girl retained her cape and swished it dramatically as she exclaimed over her and her companions' outfits.
"Ahem!" an insulted cough interrupted their squeals of delight and they all turned to look at the Phantom. Gone were his everyday black clothes and white shirt, and in their place stood the proud and terrifying Red Death.
As one, all the DBCA gasped and backed behind Adriana, who faced the skull mask alone. (I understand that this is not the reaction I would expect of you upon facing Red Death…but its part of the plot, so bear with me).
"I didn't do it!" she protested as Erik drew his skull hilted sword with a whispery slither, all the sword aficionados in the group sighed lustily.
"Why so silent, good mamselles?" he purred, handling the blade skilfully, Adriana stepped forward, drawing her own dragon hilted sword, which had appeared along with her new outfit, she crossed her blade with Erik's. "Stop," she said quietly, then raising her voice, jumped to the end of the movie, and sang reassurance back to the DBCA "Do not think I'll let him harm you."
"Do you think this wise, Majesty?" Cap'n Meg murmured, "Crossing blades with the Phantom?" Adriana threw a grin back at the girl, "Only you would say that, Meg" she laughed, taking a defensive position, "And Erik here has been giving me lessons."
Alright, that's enough. The writing sparkled, Sorry Erik, But I couldn't resist. Once again his lips were brushed in an invisible kiss and the Phantom was suddenly transported into his everyday wear. With a sigh, Adriana sheathed her sword, impulsively straightening her top. The queen of the Dramatic Black Cloak Addicts was dressed in a corset of black silk, with a central panel of crimson scarlet. Black lacing crisscrossed the front and two wide straps covered her shoulders, her arms were bare, but for a pair of ornate silver dragon bracelets, which circled her upper arms. Her legs were clad in black flaring trousers, which were in turn covered by a red overskirt that gleamed dully in the half-light. The skirt fell to the floor in jagged corners, just skimming the stones. It was anchored at the front by a black and silver buckle that allowed the front to remain an open slit, wide enough to give complete freedom of movement. A low-slung belt encircled her waist and on it hung the dragon sword sheath on the left, and a matching curved dagger on the right. Her crown was still the same smooth circlet of beaten silver that fit smoothly against her skull and pointed down in a short tip with a gleaming black onyx set at the centre. A handful of black signature feathers sculpted themselves out of her hair and trailed down her shoulders and back.
"What was the last thing you did before you arrived at the mirror?" she asked, folding her arms and tapping one suddenly red nail against one of her dragon armbands.
"Nothing," Erik replied darkly, glaring at the DBCA "I came through the labyrinth from the house, arrived here, and this mob" he indicated the DBCA who were torn between their own costumes and the Phantom, disdainfully, "Were on the other side of the mirror."
"Uh huh," Adriana frowned, stretching her arms behind her back and leaning to one side to stretch her hamstrings, it was a habit she picked up somewhere to stretch while she thought. "Are you sure?"
"Of course," Erik kept a cautious eye on one violet lined girl, dressed as a warrior of darkness was slowly creeping closer to him, trying to look inconspicuous. Suddenly she made a mad leap for Erik's cloak, one hand clutching her lethal looking double handed mace to keep it from tangling in her side slit black skirt, embroidered with silver patterns. Erik leapt back with a curse and the girl fell to the floor with a crash, holding a yellow scrap of parchment on her hand. "Damn!" she swore.
"AngelofMusic15!" Adriana snapped, "That was completely uncalled for!"
"Sorry, your Majesty," AngelofMusic15 squeaked fearfully, scooting herself away from Erik with a scared look as he reached inside his cloak for his lasso. "You would do well, little one, to remember that the Phantom of the Opera is not one to be toyed with. It is only by supreme restraint that I permit your Queen to stay with me, and I am not one to be cheapened by a mad attack."
AngelofMusic15 jumped up and ran behind Adriana, who turned around and glared at her, "Not only that," she added icily, "Your technique was horrendous." She glanced at Erik, who now stood alone in the shadows, "My apologies, Erik. Oh what now?" she snapped, turning to look at AngelofMusic15 in irritation. "He had this, Majesty," she whispered, then retreated behind her cloak, Adriana looked at the parchment, her eyebrows rose in surprise and a smirk of amusement crossed her face as she read the lines of scrawl on the parchment. "Well that explains a lot," she muttered, and looked up at Erik, who was leaning over to look at the parchment.
"Oh that," he said, "I found it under one of the couches, I think I recall singing it before I arrived at the mirror."
"You sang the DBCA theme-song?" Adriana demanded, "What on earth possessed you to do that?"
Erik shrugged, "I didn't know what was going to happen, I merely found it in the lair." He glared at her, cloak swirling dramatically, "It really is an appalling parody you realise."
"I know," Adriana replied, "Still can't believe you sang it though." Erik folded his arms and raised an eyebrow, sending ripples through his cloak and whispers through the DBCA. Adriana looked over her shoulder at them and sighed, noticing their mind-numbingly blank expressions of desire. (For some unknown reason, I really like that phrase, I think it just sums up every phangirls reaction to seeing the Phantom for the first 3 seconds right before the charge, don't you?) "Erik, please take off your cloak before I have to settle them again, they're dear girls but I'm afraid they get distracted easily by dark swirly things." Erik looked warily at the twenty or so girls drooling onto the cold stone floors, "Very well," he replied, sweeping his heavy black cloak off with a dark pirouette of blackness, folding it neatly over his arm. Several of the girls went pale faced and shaky, one rose-trimmed unfortunate fainting into the arms of the girl next to her.
"Oh dear," Adriana murmured, shaking her head, "Fantôme de l'opéra, uh, whichever one you are, V? Please wake up." Erik raised his eyebrows, "Do you all have such strange names?" he purred silkily, "Pretty much, yeah," an emerald green trimmed Nixieharpist put in. She was dressed as a philosopher, in a floor-length robe of fawn shot taffeta that glimmered darkly in the shadows, and stitched with the words "To play like an angel, practise like the devil!" around the hem and sweeping neckline, the same colour as her messy brown curls. A belt of shrunken fops heads dangled from her waist and what looked like a pair of ice skate num-chucks hung at her back. The Veronica Fantôme de l'opéra, dressed in an ornate gown of pale pink raw silk stirred slightly, then at the sound of Erik's voice, fainted again. "Knew I should have let her be a warrior maiden" Adriana muttered, lifting one bell sleeved hand before it hit the ground. Indeed, the rose lined maiden was clad in a gorgeous ball-gown with dark pink ruffles and a train that dipped almost to the ground as Erik lifted her easily and placed her swooning form on a chair that a dark glossy gold trimmed Lady Assassin Moonbeam fetched from the dressing room. Adriana propped her lethal looking longbow and feathery rapier at her side, then she snapped her fingers a few times in front of the blonde girl. Snap one, her eyes opened, snap two, the full skirt disappeared and was replaced with long rose breeches and leather boots. Snap three, she realised the Phantom was still settling her in the chair, took one look into his incredibly close golden eyes…and fainted again. "Oh I give up!" Adriana threw her hands up in disgust. Lady Assassin Moonbeam folded her arms around her long gleaming black staff, "Is it just me or is it a little dark in here?" she asked, Adriana looked around and nodded, "Would you?" she asked, stepping over, near to Erik. Lady Assassin Moonbeam grinned and held out her staff, made of polished black stone and topped with a glittering gem of amber, the size of a child's fist, she tapped it twice on the stone floors. A sudden blaze of fire erupted from the top and bathed her in glowing light. The philosopher maiden was dressed in a long gown of dark burgundy maroon, trimmed with black embroidery. A large brooch of gold and rubies pinned the front of the over-robe together, and fell away to reveal a simple gold sheath of a dress underneath. She looked around smugly, "What are you all staring at?" she asked haughtily, then giggled, leaning one arm on the passageway and holding out her fire staff to light the passage.
"Why haven't you unmasked him yet, Majesty?" Madame Opera Ghost asked curiously, adjusting the sleeve of her dark green kimono, which looked suspiciously similar to Madame Giry's costume from the Bal Masque. A pair of black lacquered steel fans hung at her obi and silver pins glinted with deadly poisoned tips from her hair. Adriana shrugged carelessly, though she blushed at Erik's angry gaze. "I've been reading too many 'Love. Unmask. Happily-Ever-After' phics. The whole thing got kinda repetitive after a while, besides," she glanced at Erik's white mask glowing at her from the shadows, "I'm not one to push the wrong boundaries." The DBCA's looked mystified, but Erik snorted disbelievingly.
"You're not…scared of it are you?" the wind mage, Phantomsangel102 ventured cautiously, twitching her cream-trimmed cape to reveal her white Athenian robe, trimmed in a darker hue of ivory that swirled her with unseen winds.
"'It' has a name." Erik remarked coldly, echoes bouncing off the arched corridors, he folded his arms tightly and clenched his fists in anger (How dare they!). Adriana glanced at him apologetically.
"Of Erik's" she stressed the name slightly, "face? No. Of the Phantom himself…" again she glanced into the shadows, "A little, yes."
Erik blushed in remembrance of that night, when he had found her at his organ, and the near disaster that had almost followed as he held her pressed against the carvings, eyes wide in fear. She had seen his face that night, but not since, he had to wonder if she even remembered what lay beneath the white porcelain at all. Then he looked up at her and met her eyes. Grey against gold, her eyes were knowing, and understanding, but not pitying. Yes, he realised, she remembered, but she would also wait for him, already understanding what he was, and still caring for him, until he was ready to accept his face himself.
Wait…caring for him?
Well duh, the irritating little voice was back, (Don't you have anything better to do?) Erik demanded silently. Hell no! the voice exclaimed, She does care, get used to the idea. Erik swallowed nervously at the voice's matter of fact statement. Every time he found himself in her presence, they usually ended up in some kind of compromising position, and each time it was getting harder and harder for him to control his growing desire for the spicy taste of her flesh.
"How can you be scared of him?" a blood red trimmed angelofmystery scoffed slightly, returning him to the fact that there were twenty or thirty black cloaked girls drooling on his stone floors. Adriana raised her eyebrows, "Do you want to be the one to break him of the drug habit?" she asked in a sarcastic voice.
"Does this mean you do not fear me?" Erik added, throwing his voice into her ears, she gasped and spun in shock, cloak swirling open to reveal a black leather assassins garb, long-sleeved leather jacket and tight fitting pants and boots, fingerless gloves covered her palms and she looked a quiver of arrows hung over her cloak and she held a dark red mahogany bow in an able-bodied grasp. Adriana rolled her eyes in an I-told-you-so style, looking over her brilliantly coloured and caped subjects. She glanced at one midnight blue lined girl and did a double take, "IflyNAVY!" she exclaimed, "Since when did you have Gandalf's staff?"
The girl shrugged, "eBay, besides, he has the shiny white new one now." She shivered delightedly in her new outfit, "This is great!" she grinned. IflyNAVY was a mage, she was clothed in a dress of rich dark blue velvet, drawn up under the bust in a princess line that fell away in a triangle of gold inlay that fell smoothly to the floor, accenting her glowing golden eyes. The sweeping neckline that left her shoulders bare was trimmed with gold lace and anchored velvet sleeves that clung to her arms and dropped away in long angel sleeves that trailed to the floor from her elbows. Her glossy chestnut brown hair was pinned modestly under a veil of transparent gold tissue inscribed with runes as she peeped mischievously from behind pert gold-framed glasses.
Suddenly a gooey sticky sickly sweet voice floated in from the door beyond the mirror, "Oh do come on Christine…you know I don't like cobwebs…they get in my hair"
"All right Raoul, I'm coming" Christine's voice called to her fiancé, Erik hissed menacingly, slowly drawing out his Punjab lasso.
"Excuse me, your Majesty," Masked Grace, who was clothed in the fine plate armour of a princess knight, asked, stepping forward and swirling her magenta lined cloak, "But if I am not mistaken, was that the fop's voice we just heard?"
"It was," Erik breathed, his eyes coming alight, "I'm going to enjoy this…" his fingers tightened lovingly around his lasso.
"Oh good," Masked Grace replied, "Can we kill him?"
Erik stopped and glared down at the girl, "I beg your pardon, I do believe I have the greater right."
"Yes but you'll do it too quickly," she argued tossing her long hair back elegantly, which was braided with bands of bright white and rich magenta. Masked Grace was dressed in a gleaming silver breastplate and gauntlets, inlaid with gold. A pair of long daggers hung at her waist making brilliant silver slashes against the white ivory tunic she wore, long brown leather boots ran up to her knees and her legs were clad in stockings that matched the lining of her cloak. A crest of two crossed daggers was emblazoned on the front of her armour, several of the other girls nodded their agreement. "He needs a long, drawn out death."
"What would you suggest?" Erik purred still moving towards the mirror, another girl stepped out to meet him, "I would suggest the rack, personally." MetalMyersJason shook back the black fabric of her cloak to reveal her heavy two handed battle sword, "Then bash him with this." MetalMyersJason was in a gothic black skirt that fell to mid calf length, overlaid with fine silver chains that netted like spider webs over the rustling satin. She wore long black leather boots and a sleeveless black leather vest that zipped up to her throat in a Chinese style neckline with a wide silver zip, the tab of which was hung with a heavy pewter skull shaped like Erik's Red Death mask. Her sword sheath was strapped across her back and the black bands that crossed her front to keep it in place were emblazoned with silver cobras, rearing to strike.
"Cut his hair first," Misty spoke up, the other girls grinned evilly at the silver lined girl. Misty cut a striking figure in a black and white satin ball gown that contrasted sharply against the shadows. Cut in a strapless style and leaving flowing contours gliding smoothly over her form, a chequered mask hid her eyes and she held a lethal looking pair of silver and black dragon claws in each hand.
"Rub it with a cheese-grater," Blaze-Logan Lover, who was in a mercenaries garb put in. Her outfit was made of high quality silk and was composed of a red dress shirt and black leggings, covered by a blue embossed tunic that fell to her elbows and knees
"Does that work?" the green-lined trisana asked, looking puzzled. She was a Portal Guardian of the Fanfiction Realms, and held an ebony black crossbow in a battle ready grip. She wore a dark green long-sleeved crossover tunic, anchored by a black leather belt and matching black leather trousers. The hood of the tunic was drawn up over her head and she looked around at the others as she absentmindedly cocked and uncocked the crossbow. Blaze-Logan Lover shrugged, tossing her metallic purple-lined cloak idly.
"Don't know, but I figured it would be a good way to give him split ends, and if we end up scraping off the top of his skull in the process, well…" she spread her hands helplessly, "All in the name of scientific research, wouldn't you say?"
The other DBCA-ians grinned and shuddered delightedly at the gruesome yet fascinatingly pleasurable mental image, even Erik cracked a smile, causing several of the nearby females to swoon giddily.
"But my lasso is my calling card" Erik argued, "Half the fun comes from scaring all the other people unfortunate enough to find the body."
"Oh, right," murmurs went around the crowd as the DBCA and their cloaked idol debated the issues of symbols versus pain.
"You could just kill him slowly then leave a red rose on top of the body when you dump it somewhere in Paris?" asingledarkcrimsonrose suggested. She was a tall knight in a forest green lined cloak, dressed in silver chain mail and a soft leather tunic over a silky white shirt and green breeches. On the front of her tunic and on her round shield, lethally edged in razor spikes, was a rose emblem, tinted a deep scarlet, she stood with her dark brown hair swept back in a braid that trailed down her back, balanced with the grace and ease of a dancer.
"Now there's an idea," Erik sank his chin onto his lean chest as his brow furrowed in thought.
"You would say that," an imperial purple-cloaked kissofdarkness joked, smoothing down the front of her dark guardian outfit. She wore a burnished gold breastplate and a leather kilt skirt in the style of a Roman warrior (sort of). An ornate dagger hung at her waist, which she drew out and ran a whetstone over the blade with a rasping screech, everyone winced.
"Must
you?" a navy lined Reltistic demanded, crossing her arms over her
leather jerkin and blue undershirt, she tossed her brunette plait
over her shoulders in an insulted fashion. Kissofdarkness glared back
at the hunter, "I need to keep a keen blade for scalping the fop
with," she declared, Reltistic rolled her eyes, "That's the
good thing about having one of these," she said, pulling out a
short silver cylinder, she pressed a button and a blue lightsabre
beam snapped out with a hiss. She spun the beam a few times
experimentally, casting strange shadows on the DBCA members' faces
as the blade hummed. (Special effects guy holding a microphone to a
fluorescent light, "Wow…wo-ow…wowowowowow…wow" Ahem, sorry,
couldn't help myself)
"Uh-uh" Spunky-hyper-girl, dressed in
a sparkly purple cloak, shook her head, "Nothing beats the Cookies
of Doom!" she pulled a black box with the words "Touch and Die!"
scrawled on in red glitter pen out of nowhere and opened it to reveal
a dozen fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, still steaming and
nestled temptingly in black tissue paper. Erik snorted in disbelief
as the DBCA members drew closer, oohing and ahing over the biscuits,
Adriana looked up and he caught her eye, with a jerk of his head he
motioned for her to join him as Spunky-hyper-girl, garbed in the
clothes of a 16th century duchess, complete with wimple
and square-cut, silver-lined, mauve silk gown, explained the benefits
of her food of death.
"Each one can be thrown up to one hundred feet in length, causing instant death upon arrival. The chocolate chips explode on impact, and…" one blood red lined philosopher, Morningside for life, fainted backwards onto the floor, her skull hilted sword falling from her fingers with a loud clatter as her midnight black evening dress, with thigh splits and v-neck was revealed, the other girls looked at her for a moment then shrugged, "as I was saying," Spunky-hyper-girl continued, "The fumes are toxic, causing fainting and in some cases, extreme hallucination."
Adriana slipped over to Erik, stepping daintily over Morningside for life, "What?" she asked quietly, she glanced down as another unfortunate, the deep grey lined xLetYourDarkerSideGiveInx, fainted dead away. "I wish they'd stop that," she sighed. Irritated, Erik moved around to block the Queen's view of her subjects, towering over her as she leaned against the wall in front of him. "I hope you were not planning on keeping these fools of yours here for any significant amount of time," he muttered angrily, his eyes glowing behind his mask, Adriana shook her head, "No, and don't you blame this on me, Erik, you were the one that sang the song."
"You shouldn't have left it lying around in the first place!" he whispered harshly, as another DBCA-ian, Kudokadvakch, dressed in a gold and white mages robe and in a cloak trimmed with fire engine red, succumbed to the effects of Spunky-hyper-girl's Cookies of Doom. Adriana folded her arms and glared up at him stonily, "Whatever, we can play the blame game later, okay? But I agree, we need to get them gone."
"Fine, now how do we do that?" Erik loomed over her running one long-fingered hand through his dark hair and leaning one elbow on the wall above her, Adriana pursed her lips thoughtfully, "Well…if they came through the mirror…couldn't we send them back the other way?" she raised her eyebrows in askance of his opinion. Erik shrugged, taking an elegant step in closer as a fourth victim of the Cookies of Doom, Bananas in Pajamas, a Siren in a red wine trimmed cloak, crashed to the floor. Her six-inch blade slipped away to rest at the second Fantome de L'Opera's, Skye, not Vanessa, who was still out cold, feet and she glanced down at it in surprise.
"Would that work?" he breathed quietly, his mask mere inches from her face as he leaned down to hear her answer.
"Ahem!" Adriana and Erik jumped, the Phantom spun around and Adriana peered from beneath his arm. A smug looking cerulean blue-lined Pertie was standing there with her arms crossed, looking at them with a raised eyebrow, "I thought you said the rating wasn't going to change until after the cameo chapter?" she asked with a smirk. Adriana glared at her, as Pertie tossed her throwing stars from one hand to another with a grin.
"Note to self" the Queen muttered, "Never give advance warning to subjects on anything!" She glared at the navy dressed ninja with open irritation.
"What rating?" Erik asked in dangerously low tones, (Oh shit) Adriana thought, colour rising on her cheeks, she was saved by having to answer and wipe the smirks off her subjects' faces by the angry screeching of a high-strung Prima Donna.
"No! No! No! I will not leave in ze middle of my season!" she screamed, storming past the corridor outside, the footsteps of two harassed managers raced after her, grovelling for all they were worth. (Grovel, grovel, beg kneel sponge crawl, sorry, Joseph and the Technicolour dreamcoat moment there).
"Please Signora! For your health, please reconsider, a holiday! The south of France! Beautiful!" Firmin exclaimed,
"All expenses paid, you wont have to lift a finger!" Andre added around his cigar, which he was crushing furiously. The trio halted outside the door and the hidden group strained to listen.
"All expenses paid?" Firmin muttered incredulously to his partner.
"Well it is now" Andre whispered, "Please Signora, the thought of those terrible ghosts threatening you would break the hearts of your fans!"
"No!" Carlotta whirled on her managers, stamping one gold painted foot, "No ghost and his littol slut will dissuade mi! I shall stay!"
Adriana's eyes went dead flat and she turned to Erik, "Did she just call me a slut?" she asked in a venomous tone. The Phantom nodded, his eyes burning in fury, Adriana's sword and dagger hissed out of there sheathes, "She's going down." The Opera Ghost and Theatre Wraith slinked forward, holding their weapons with dangerous familiarity.
"And where do you think you're going?" Nightshadesister-01 stepped in front of them, crossing her arms over her ice blue enamelled warrior princess armour. Her hand glinted dully in the light of Lady Assassin Moonbeam's fire staff. A fingerless leather glove with sharp well-used steel claws covered her fist. Adriana straightened, "To repay a toad," she replied, a maniacal gleam in her grey eyes.
"And leave the rest of us here? I don't think so." Nightshadesister-01 glared at her queen,
"That's right" Sapphire-aria came and stood beside the green trimmed girl, "We didn't travel all this way just to stand in a dark passageway and have you shove us back out again." She stood firm in a sapphire cloak and black shirt, covered by a chain mail tunic and silver gauntlets, a long sword at her hip as she tossed her brown hair defiantly.
"In short," a finally awake Bananas in Pajamas in a wine red cloak and black formfitting dress glittering with sequins added in her lilting Irish accent "We're coming too."
Adriana looked around at her subjects as they all ganged up on her, blocking the way through to the Theatre. With a twitch, her left eye started its tic again. Everyone stared at her in fear and apprehension.
"Did your eye just twitch?" Erik asked, trying not to give himself over to laughter. She closed her eyes, "Yes." She replied in a flat monotone, "It did, excuse me a moment," she walked over to the wall beside Erik and slammed her fist into the grey stones…everyone winced. She sighed and turned back to the members of the DBCA, "Very well," she groaned. Erik stared at her, "You cant be serious?" he exclaimed, she shrugged in reply, "Well why not? It'll give the managers a scare if nothing else."
"You have an unhealthy preoccupation with terrorising my underlings," he told her, she rolled her eyes, "And you have an unwholesome habit of causing mine to swoon," she retorted, turning to her subjects. "No killing, no maiming, with the exception of the fop only! Leave Madame Giry alone, that cane of hers is enough of a match for all of you. Don't wreck any scenes, props or costumes, with the possible exception of Carlotta's. No holding any ballet rats to ransom and no kidnapping the Prima Donna's poodle."
"Yes mum" Morningside for life, waking from her stupor replied, Adriana glared at her, "I mean it," she warned. "Na-duh" the philosopher replied sourly.
"If anyone finds the fop" Erik put in, "I have first priority." The DBCA-ians grumbled a little but finally agreed. "And no doubling back to find your way down to my lair," he added, there were several disappointed looks, "There are traps that are still operational and I will not be held responsible for your actions."
"Good point," Adriana added, with grins of pure wickedness, the DBCA turned to go.
"And stay out of Box Five!" Erik's voice thundered, he turned to Adriana "That really is a useful trick," she grinned, "I know," she answered, "You sure no Box Five? They kind of deserve a chance to at least see it."
"No." Erik replied, "And don't even think of using your royal prestige to get them up there."
Adriana sighed, "No, you outrank me on that score," she muttered, "Unfortunately."
"I do?" Erik asked, "But you're their queen."
Adriana nodded, "Sadly enough for me, any order given by the Queen of the DBCA to her subjects may be ignored or overruled by an idol if it relates directly to them."
"Ah," Erik nodded, "So they don't get a say?" Adriana flashed him a vampire grin, "Nope," she answered cheerfully, "That's why we're a monarchy rather than a democracy. If we were, I'd be out of a job in two seconds flat."
"More like one" the chocolate lined Kooz, dressed as a jester in a hat that tinkled with bells, whispered to the rose coloured Laivine Rosc-Hend, they both giggled. Adriana raised her eyebrows and shook her head, untucking a sheer black veil from her hip and slipping it against her crown. With a short sharp tug she pulled a feather from her hair. "You voice, I'll call card?" she asked Erik, he nodded, sweeping past her, together the spirits swept through the mirror and slipped over to the door. Adriana knelt at the crack that separated the door from the floor and Erik swept his shoulders around his shoulders again. "Ready?" she whispered, he nodded magnificently. "Go!" she blew a T.W. inscribed feather through the crack as Erik's voice rose and carried out from somewhere above and to the right of the diva and managers.
"I would suggest you listen to these two fools, Madame, if you wish to live." His voice rolled majestically through the theatre and the DBCA heard the managers and Prima Donna gasp in shock and set off at a run after the voice and the feather that spun idly at their feet. Adriana looked up at Erik admiringly, "That was good," she complimented him, "Thankyou my dear," he replied, offering a hand to help her up. They turned and Adriana beckoned to her subjects, they all tumbled through and peered around the old dressing room excitedly, "Any last words?" she asked, placing one hand on the door handle.
"Yes," Blaze-LoganLover spoke up, "May the Force be with you!"
"Oh please," Adriana rolled her eyes as she grinned. "Follow us until we get to the second last dressing room, then wait for my signal." Adriana and Erik slipped out and the rest of the DBCA followed silently, two-by-two, black cloaks billowing.
"Now," Adriana turned and halted the DBCA, "You have one hour, when you hear my signal, drop everything and disappear back to here. Agreed?"
"Agreed, Your Majesty," the black cloaks chorused,
"Excuse me," she ducked under Erik's arm and tossed her cloak dramatically, "Behold!" she thundered, "The Minions of the Theatre Wraith!" she stepped back against Erik with a smile and offered the stage to her friends, "Charge"